#and there was that disconnect of who she was and who she is and how to implement them and how to just...address all of that

[matt0044]

There's also how... normalized Harry Potter has become.

It's become too entrenched in popular culture. Some are easily (and rightfully) able to discard any affinity they might've had for the series in lieu of the author emboldening the current climate of Trans Rights but the "normies" as it were?

-The kids who curiously find the books or movies at a library and read it all on their own, disconnected from the wider socio-politics we're cursed to know.

-The parents who enjoy it with their kids and aren't as Facebook-brain as others might be.

-The general public who aren't on social media 24/7 (how I envy them) and go to a Barnes & Noble to find a shelf dedicated to Harry Potter.

Not all of Rowling's income derives from those who actively worship her as the Dark Lord of TERFs. Because not all recognize her as an unholy combo of Voldemort's dreaded cult of personality and Vernon Dursley's intolerance of the "abnormal."

Seriously, reread the Dursleys parts of the books and its scary how she has become exactly who had tried to stamp out Harry's magic by way of child abuse for years.

Harry Potter is bigger than Rowling, especially among those who "don't care for politics." And that's the true crux of the problem. Publishers consider her too profitable to drop, Warner Bros. made bank off the movies and sadly it seems like there's no stopping the Max Original to come.

Hell, Hogwarts Legacy just bottomed out due to being poorly made. We're not just talking about some indie project. This was the MCU before the MCU. This was a book series heavily pushed at libraries and book stores that got kids interested in reading.

As much as we do the best we can, well... it's not exactly much. Like only a court case could possibly take it to Rowling and, even if they didn't win, her ills would be more on display. But it doesn't seem like anybody will actually step up to the plate.

It's impressive how Neil Gaiman vanished from the internet. Wish Rowling would do the same.

[eeriesilkworm]

There's a real possibility we get a Will Byers centric love triangle in ST5

We know the Duffers love a good love triangle.

So much so, they've given us one (or several) in every season of Stranger Things thus far—and I don’t think they’ll break that streak in Season 5.

One thing I’ve noticed is that while some love triangles stretch across multiple seasons (like Steve/Nancy/Jonathan), the writers also introduce at least one new triangle each season.

Here’s a quick breakdown:

S1: Steve / Nancy / Jonathan S2: Steve / Nancy / Jonathan + Joyce / Hopper / Bob + Lucas / Dustin / Max S3: Robin / Steve / Tammy + Joyce / Hopper / Alexei + Joyce / Hopper / Mr Clarke S4: Steve / Nancy / Jonathan + Mike / El / Will + Robin / Vickie / Vickie's ex-boyfriend S5: Steve / Nancy / Jonathan (likely resolved) + Mike / El / Will (will come to a head) + ???

Sometimes they’re played straight, but the writers also love to openly mock the love triangle trope, too—especially in Season 3:

For example, Hopper gets irrationally jealous over Joyce talking to Mr Clarke and even Alexei—prompting Joyce’s sarcastic line about how every man she talks to must be her boyfriend. And of course, there's Steve wrongly assuming Robin has a crush on him, then confessing to her, only to find out she actually liked Tammy Thompson.

Basically, there’s no one way the writers use this trope. They clearly enjoy it—but more importantly, they enjoy subverting it.

So, call me delusional but I think it's likely that we could be getting another Will Byers love triangle in Season 5:

He's the main character of the season and his arc will (partially), revolve around his "coming of age" and acceptance of his sexuality, after all.

Will has consistently been portrayed as someone who is considered attractive or desirable in-universe. In every season except Season 3, a girl shows interest in him despite his nerdiness and perceived queerness.

And now, it looks like the Duffer Brothers are visually rebranding him as a romantic lead:

His new hair and costume design feels both heroic and boyish. The flannel—once a staple of his wardrobe and a symbol of his innocence—is slowly being phased out, suggesting a gradual loss of that innocence. However, he’s still buttoned up. That tells me Will is stepping into his manhood (and by extension, his sexuality), but he's still holding something back. He's going to need to be pushed out of his comfort zone; both physically and emotionally.

Even narratively, there are established links which hint at a possible non-Mike love interest:

When we look back at Will’s comment about not falling in love, we often read it as foreshadowing his feelings for Mike—or hinting that he already is in love with him. But I also interpret it as something more: Will doesn’t believe he will ever inspire love (or romantic attraction). He sees himself as undesirable.

Think about the four original members of the Party. Yes, they’re all considered uncool nerds to some degree—yet three of them are affirmed through romantic connection: Lucas has Max. Dustin has Suzie. Mike has El. They each receive validation and the feeling of being wanted.

Will does not.

And yet, the writers have made a consistent effort to show us that Will is considered attractive—despite his belief that he isn’t, and despite the lack of romantic validation he receives. That creates a real disconnect. A kind of cognitive dissonance.

Having Will repeatedly receive attention from girls—only to reject them or appear disinterested—was an effective way to subtly hint at his queerness. But it’s happened so many times now, that there needs to be a payoff.

What is the long-term point of making the canonically gay kid, who already believes he’s undesirable, only receive interest from women?

Er, there isn’t one.

It makes sense, then, to give Will the opportunity to experience mutual same-sex attraction with someone who isn't Mike.

Because Will's arc about accepting his sexuality doesn't just have to culminate in the realization that Mike loves him too (as sweet as that is).

It should culminate with the knowledge that queerness is valid, that he is considered desirable and worthy of romantic interest, and that he isn't alone in experiencing queerness.

Additionally, as mentioned above, Will is already perceived as queer—he’s been bullied for it his entire life, despite never explicitly coming out. Hawkins is a small town where word travels fast. So if there is another young gay guy in town, chances are… they’ve already heard of “Zombie Boy” Will Byers.

He'd certainly be on their radar: he’s good-looking, he’s mysterious, and he’s still closeted, which means he’d likely be discreet.

And let’s not forget where Will was emotionally at the end of Season 4, especially regarding his feelings for Mike:

He’s starting from ground zero in Season 5. He has zero hope that Mike feels the same way, and he’s likely going to be making zero moves.

In fact, most Byler theorists agree—it makes sense that Mike will have to be the initiator in Season 5. Will is just too emotionally shut down to make the first move.

But… wait a minute.

If this season is supposed to be about Will coming into his own as a young gay man—about self-acceptance, confidence, and owning his identity—how does that make sense if Mike is the one initiating everything?!

Well… maybe Mike needs to make the first move when it comes to Byler. But that doesn’t mean Will has to stay passive the whole season.

It’s possible that Will could gain some much-needed confidence—maybe even a bit of romantic “practice”—by taking a more active role with someone else first.

Giving Will a (temporary) new love interest would also level-out the playing field between himself and Mike:

There's a real sense of karmic justice and ironic foreshadowing in Stranger Things.

Will's jealousy of Mike and El's relationship has been hinted at for two seasons now—and he even complained that Mike only called a couple times while El had a "book of letters" from him.

What’s interesting is that even after Mike takes accountability for their argument and they make up, that specific comment—about the phone calls and letters—is never addressed. It lingers.

That’s why I think we could see a similar conversation (or even a full-blown argument) between Mike and Will in Season 5. But this time, Will might be the one receiving phone calls or letters—from someone else.

And let’s not forget: it’s possible that the Byers are temporarily staying with the Wheelers in Season 5. If Will has a secret admirer, and he’s trying to keep it quiet, Mike is going to find out. (Excellent way to manufacture drama).

I also feel compelled to reiterate that the Duffers have shown time and time again: they can handle love triangles in many different ways.

They can play it for comedy. They can make it completely one-sided or delusional—like Mike projecting his own jealousy, much like Hopper did with Joyce in Season 3. A love triangle doesn’t have to be serious or long-lasting. It could span multiple episodes, or just one. It could involve a kiss—or zero physical contact at all.

And it doesn’t have to disrupt a Byler endgame—in fact, quite the opposite:

Seeing Will Byers receive romantic attention from another male character would serve as a reminder to the audience that Will is desirable and that he has options—this increases the stakes for Mike.

The GA will start wondering if this is really Will's endgame, and if he is truly ready to get over Mike. The GA, especially those who never shipped Byler before, may find themselves unexpectedly invested. They might even feel disappointed or sad at the thought of Will "moving on."

It also creates space for the writers to show us jealous Mike. Just as we've seen jealous, longing Will, a temporary love triangle allows us to explore Mike’s feelings through that same lens of romantic insecurity.

This brings the possibility of Byler to the forefront of the GA's subconscious. At the same time, it invites them to root for Mike, and therefore Byler.

[sobbingscripter]

Tags: [wlw][mdni][friends to more?][pining][exhibitionism?][self gaslighting][Tamaran customs][yoga][reader is downbad][kissing (⁠灬^‿^灬⁠)][praise][nipple sucking][scissoring][fingering]

"Kory..."

You groan, eyes squeezed shut and you're exhausted, letting out huffs of exhaustion as you continue to be follow Kory onto the rooftop of the Titans building. The sunlight streams in hot, golden strands, beating down on you.

"It's like, 6AM. Everyone else is sleeping."

Like all sweethearts, Kory felt that with the messiness of being a superhero, she's been disconnected from you. And what other way to bond with your closest friend, than waking them up at the asscrack of dawn to do something new every second morning?

"Kory, I'm hungry." You whine.

Kory ignores you, continuing to roll out her yoga mat and she inhales sharply. The morning air is crisp and she settles down on her mat, legs folded and she glances towards you, expectantly.

And you whine, but comply.

Mimicking her motions, and you settle down on your own mat, fingers laced in your lap and you let out a deep breath, back slumped like a capital C and expression scrunched because it's like the Sun just gets brighter.

And Kory giggles. "Open your eyes."

"We're literally facing the Sun. It burns and I could go blind." You deadpan, blinking rapidly because fuck, your eyes are so dry right now.

"Better to go blind, than to not see the world."

Her voice is something that's so sweet. So saccharine that it takes you a hot minute to realise that she's saying some bullshit and you turn to face Kory, instead.

"Who taught you that?"

"I came up with it." She beams, dimples deepening in her tanned cheeks and you hum.

"I can tell."

You allow yourself to bake in the warm, golden sunlight bathing the both of you as you face the ball of gas and you peek at Kory from the corner of your eye.

Her lashes are resting on those stupidly high cheekbones, full, mauve toned lips curled into a soft and almost appreciative smile and her hair flows down her back like a river of magma. Voluminous, so flattering and you swallow hard.

She looks like some kind of deity.

"You look like a sexy orange."

You watch the way her lips purse, dimples deepening in her cheeks as she tries not to laugh before her eyes flutter open, and she looks at you, head cocked.

"Can you take anything seriously?" She hums, lips quirked in amusement and you shake your head.

"Definitely not, no." You blow out a breath. "And if you take it seriously, it's an even harder no."

⊹♡🔥♡⊹

Yoga's definitely not for you, but watching Kory do it, is a salve to your wounded ego.

Because never once have you ever been insecure about being inflexible.

"Kory, my knees."

"It's only been 12 seconds." Her belly flexes as she giggles, her arms raised over her head and they're straight as an arrow.

Her chest heaves with each deep and even breath she takes, her little cropped shirt mocking you as it flutters in the warm, summery breeze that makes you wish you took off your hoodie but you know damn well, you're not even wearing a sports bra under it.

You're facing her.

Her gaze doesn't waver.

How are her eyes so magnetic, when she doesn't even have a fucking pupil? Just... A green orb in a socket but you feel like they're pulling you in.

"You're staring." Kory comments, her voice quiet alongside the chirps of the birds, and you let out a breath. Heavy, shaky and so, so unfit.

"Really?" You puff out. "I couldn't tell on account that I'm looking at you."

And she sighs, almost dramatically and she lowers her arms for a moment, signalling that it's a switch of position. "Do you have to be so negative?" She questions, and immediately, hits Warrior I again, but this time, with the other leg.

You mimic her stance.

"Kory, I'm sweating at 6AM." You grumble.

"This is the first position." She reminds and your expression nearly crumbles. Your arms hurt, your back hurts, your ankles are aching and your eye's twitching.

"Oh God." You pant. "I think I'm dying."

And she laughs. It's soft. It's melodious. She laughs like if a Disney princess was from an alien planet and had ass for days.

"Well, at least you'd die looking very... Dewy." She reassures. Before her eyes look you over. "Are you regretting not changing into something suitable?"

And you swallow. "No." You lie. You're sweating balls. "I'm very comfortable."

"Just take off your hoodie, I'm not judging."

"I'm not wearing anything underneath."

And Kory blinks. Slow and careful. And there's not a thought behind those eyes.

"They're just breasts? Look, I'll even—"

"No." You interrupt. "There are cameras here and no free shows."

Her lips purse and her brows furrow in that cute little frown she does when she doesn't understand something, "Humans are so odd."

You don't look up when you're in child's pose.

It just doesn't feel right and the coolness of your yoga mat feels so good against your forehead. Your body's aching from the stretches, your brain's just a bit fuzzy because how does her sweat smell like cinnamon?

Your shoulders are so relaxed, your arms stretched out ahead of you, your knees tucked to your chest and you let out an even breath.

"This is nic—"

"And into downward dog."

You listen to the way Kory rustles, her body moving and your gaze flicks up.

"Kory!" You nearly scream. "I can see your whole pussy."

Her legs are straight, feet and palms flat against that violet yoga mat, and you can see all the muscles in the backs of her legs flex with the strain.

But you can really focus on, is the outline of her cunt through those yoga shorts, pulling taut against puffy folds and you try not to stare too hard when she peeks at you from between her legs.

"Are you enjoying the 'free show'?" She teases you, lips curled and her hair falling forward in a gorgeous gradient of pinks, reds and oranges, the golden sunlight barely able to filter through the strands.

"No." You breathe out, your cheeks are burning and your ears feel hot. "It feels like you just flashed me."

"You're welcome." She gleams. "Now, get in position."

"Can you turn—"

"There is no time."

No matter what, your gaze keeps flickering up. If you stare hard enough, you can see the subtle pulse of her cunt with each exhale she lets out, and you swallow hard. Lowering your head and trying to calm your racing heart because is this what a crackhead feels like when they see a dealer that's out of their budget?

"You need to keep your head up to open up your chakras." She gently chides you.

"Kory, I can see your chakra."

And she snorts. "Just do it." And she pauses. "And it's my nirvana."

"I'd say it's your Narnia." You murmur under your breath, before following her instructions, and you tip your head back, letting out an even shakier breath.

And your gaze flickers towards her chest, and your breath stutters. Her shirts riding up, and you're catching a whole view of underboob, topped off with pretty nipples, pebbled. And you swallow.

This is totally normal. It should be normal. It doesn't feel normal but it's probably normal.

But you know:

It's not normal.

It's not normal that your heart's pounding like a meth head's. It's not normal that you're fighting demons to not blow a thin stream of air in the direction of Kory's stupidly close pussy, just to see if she'll feel it.

And it's definitely not normal to hope she does.

⊹♡🔥♡⊹

"And now, we go into a straight arm side plank and lift your other leg. And then, I'll hold your foot and you'll hold mine."

You stare at Kory in pure silence.

"What kind of ecstasy do you do, to think I can do that?"

And she smiles, inhaling sweetly and she stretches her arms overhead, forcing your gaze to lower to her tightly toned tummy and the soft swells of her breasts that peek out from the frayed edge of her croptop.

"The ecstasy of life."

You frown.

"You keep saying shit like that and I'll push you off this roof."

"You silly thing," she coos, her lips curl before she reminds you, "I can fly."

The positioning is awkward, especially since Kory didn't tell you that she'd switch your legs. And you'd look like the literal scissors emoji together.

You keep your hand on her ankle, grasping her foot for dear life and you feel how gently her manicured fingers wrap around yours. And you'd feel guilty for your dragon claw grip but her core strength is better than yours.

"Kory, my tummy h—" Your gaze flickers down to where her shorts is practically translucent, white fabric stupidly clear and you can see every pretty, silky fold and you lose your balance. Tumbling and you land hard on your ass.

"Oh!" Her voice is so sweet as she moves towards you.

"Are you okay?" Her thigh's tucked beneath one of yours, and her other thigh, is tossed over your remaining leg in a way that's so leisurely.

But your breath stutters.

"Kory, Kory, we cannot— You're too close." Her hand moves to cradle the side of your face, dark tumeric coloured brows furrow in confusion and she moves closer. "What do you— oh..."

She glances down to where there's mere inches between your crotches, her lips parting before she bites down on her bottom lip, gaze flickering to your face.

"On Tamaran... This is how friends bond."

"Girl, you come from a porn planet, don't you?" You huff out, pushing yourself up on your elbows and you watch the way her lips curl, and her dimples deepen.

"Maybe." And she leans closer, hands braced on the yoga mat and you can feel the way her breaths ghost over your face.

And fuck, her eyes are so pretty.

"But I've never practiced my customs with anyone here on Earth, aside from learning the languages." And she tilts her head, lashes fluttering so sweetly and you have no idea how she gives you doe eyes with no fucking pupils but she does. "Would you embrace my customs with me?"

Oh my God, are you being gaslit?

"Uh huh." You nearly stutter, big doe eyes focused on Kory and the way her smile widens, pointed canines peeling just a bit. Before she croons, her palm warm against your cheek.

"Good girl."

And you're down bad.

⊹♡🔥♡⊹

The first time your tongue slides against hers, your brain shuts off entirely. Your thighs parted to accommodate her waist, your ankles locked behind her back and her lips pressed so sweetly against yours.

Kory's fingers remain laced with yours, hips pressing against yours like she's trying to get friction some way or another and she smiles into the kiss.

It's so subtle. Her tongue brushing against yours, gossamers of saliva stringing between you and your brain's so fucking fuzzy because all you taste is toothpaste and mouth between you.

And she pulls back, her lips glossy and kiss swollen, as she peers down at you, her lashes fluttering and she hums.

"Does it feel good?" She's soft, fingers tracing along your palms as she keeps them pinned on either side of your head, expression so sweet and adoring.

"Huh?" Your voice cracks. And she snickers. "Wow. For the first time, you're taking something serious."

She dips her head and all you smell is fucking citrus and sweetness. Her lips press against your pulse and you feel the way she lingers just to feel the erratic pump, before she moves. Down, down, down.

Until she's at the dip of your clavicles, exposed by your oversized hoodie and her hands slide down, grasping at your waist and giving you the sweetest squeeze.

"I won't take this off." She whispers. "Because it'd be a free show." And she moves her hands towards the edge of her own shirt, grasping the flimsy fabric and pulling it overhead.

"But I'll take this off." She discards the fabric. "Because I don't care about free shows."

And your face is burning. You're staring up at Kory like she invented AO3 because God, you might be falling in love.

Vibrant sunlight surrounds her like a halo, her hair's a flaming crown and her skin looks like molten gold.

And those eyes. A shade of green that would make you weep if you saw it anywhere else and your voice cracks in a mumbled 'wow' when she guides your hands to her chest, and the weight has your mind stumbling like that old vine of that guy leaving his trailer.

And you giggle.

"So pretty." You whisper softly, your thumbs brushing over her nipples and the way she sighs has your cunt throbbing in your shorts. Her hand feels warm as it rests on the back of your neck, and she stares down at you, perched on your lap with rosy cheeks.

And you dip your head, licking a long wet stripe from the crevice between her tits, all the way up to the hollow beneath her ear. And Kory shudders, eyes fluttering shut as she feels the way you suck marks into her skin, dotting her flesh all the way until you get to the swell of her tits.

And your mouth's so warm, her nails digging into your neck as your tongue swirls around a pebbled bud, your other hand gently tugging at her unattended nipple.

"Oh..." Her lips form the prettiest 'o' shape. "Just like that..."

Kory moans and it sounds like a fucking symphony, and suddenly, it's all you wanna hear. Morning, noon and night.

You're sucking attentively, lavishing her chest in kisses and nips, sucking hickeys into the skin until she's panting, belly dipping inward and hips twitching needily.

"That's my girl..." She croons so prettily, looking down at you with hazy eyes and parted lips. "Feels so good..."

And sooner than you'd guess, your shorts and panties are discarded, and so are hers. One of your thighs are braced against Kory's shoulders, her knees digging into the mat on either side of you.

And she's focused.

Gently sliding her clit against yours until she's feeling her thighs quiver and buckle.

"You're so wet." She whispers softly. "So pretty." She's bringing a hand down to part your plump lips, staring down at your glossy folds like they're something to be worshipped and she glides again.

And again.

And again.

Her lips pressing the softest kiss against your ankle, her brows twitching into a furrow and she feels the way your hips buck, eager to meet each grind of hers.

And she sighs.

"You're so soft." She whispers. "So delicate, so lovely."

Kory's brain is a mushy haze. Friendship's never felt so... Good.

The burn in her belly feels damn near instant when it's taken lovers nearly hours to even light the flame, she can't get enough of the way you watch her from beneath fluttering lashes. Your pussy sticky against hers, your hands grasping at the curves of her waist with desperation like you want her closer.

Your hands slide up her sides, cradling her chest and you moan at how her hips twitch, cunt pulsing against yours and it feels so nasty when Kory lifts her hips, and you watch the way the sunlight catches the sticky strands of slick that connects you.

And you barely make an audible sound when you feel two of her fingers sink into you. Your head lands against the mat beneath you, your eyes fluttering shut and you know.

You bring one of your hands down, between her thighs and your fingers drag through her slippery folds, shaky digits fumbling for her clit and the way she gasps has you clenching around her fingers.

You do those circles with your fingers, the sticky bud threatening to escape your fingers with each shlick but your persistence makes Kory's tummy flutter.

Kory leans down, her lips pressing against yours as she bucks her hips in time to the pumping of her fingers, her tongue curling against yours.

This doesn't feel like friendship.

It doesn't feel like friendship when she's clamping down on your fingers, when she's spitting into your mouth and licking it back up again. Her forehead against yours as she comes on your fingers, your other hand tangled in her hair and you whine when you feel the way her palm grinds down against your clit, hard.

And you're seeing stars behind your eyelids, your ears filled with her panted breaths and praises.

You feel warm.

So... So... Warm.

And you're floating, whimpering when she pulls her fingers out of you and listening to her longful sigh when you do the same.

There's a quiet silence that blankets the moment that's otherwise filled with birdsong and the sounds of early morning traffic from the city. And Kory hums softly, her breasts pressed against your chest as she presses her cheek against yours.

She brings up a hand, flexing and scissoring her fingers to see how the sunlight illuminates your slick.

And she giggles.

"Friendship is magical."

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[msmimundo]

Ok I found this part interesting. Besides the whole Mini Kris getting out of the screen and threatening our Kris (also Kris getting... pale?? probably an animator error but worth mentioning still), Susie asks them if they enjoy it. Susie, who has been a symbol of freedom in Kris' caged life. We seemingly got two options given:

More than once we can differenciate our choices from Kris' by the way the others react, but this time it seems to be different. None of them Susie reacts as if Kris was screaming or confused or tried to hide the answer by coughing.

If you chose "Of course. Games are fun"

They sweat. Their head tilts down too, almost regretfully, still "pale". Even if their voice tone wasn't described, we can conclude this was not the option they would chose. It makes sense with the whole "they are forced in A Situation and is not enjoying this".Also its interesting that Berdly is brought up, not only bc weird route but also considering this chapter's secret boss(also Berdly a sweaty nerd confirmed)

Also despite this they joke with her. That's cute

If you chose "No" however

Susie disconnects the game. Susie, the symbol of freedom, kills Mini Kris. Whether she is saving them or not, well I can't really tell what deep meaning this could have. But she is stopping them from playing the game they clearly don't enjoy.

But there's a secret third option

YOU can attack Susie. And KRIS saves her.

This was specially interesting to me, cause if this is some kind of foreshadowing for future events, the way it's put is I think is Genious! Specially considering Just moments before, we were basically forced to kill Mini Susie and Mini Ralsei while Kris looked back at us. This is something Kris did for themselves, and we can tell by their expression, the way they grit their teeth and how violently they pulled her out of danger, even she was surprised by this. They do NOT want to see their friends injured, we knew that, and they are probably scared to the possibility of her exploding like Mini Susie did, but them coming out of their way to protect her AGAINST what we clearly intended, i find that so interesting.

The rest of the scene they don't let got, and at Susie's awkwardness their only reaction seems to be just, calling her a weirdo? Or maybe that's the conclusion Susie got herself after that awkward silence. Also notice how this part makes Susie open up a bit, get more vulnerable as the awkward weird teen she is, in contrast to the pillar she is usually put as.

So in a scene where Kris, a videogame character we as players are controlling, where they have to face Mini Kris, a videogame character we are making them control but that is set free out of it's world's boundaries:

-we make Kris say they love the game. Implied a lie, negative reaction. Berdly gets mentioned

-we make Kris say they don't love the game. Implied true? Susie frees Kris off the game they are forced into//kills Mini Kris

-we attack Susie. Kris saves her by their own, against our wishes. This leaves her a bit more vulnerable

I'm horrible at analisis but I think there's something worth to pick from here

[respectthepetty]

Thank you for answering my ask. I was wondering what you would say... it was refreshing in a way because you acknowledge that Joong could've done it with ill intentions but you are also completely fine with it. Wow. But I appreciate the honesty. And I'm not calling you out, but I noticed you said you didn't understand why mothers defend their sons' behavior no matter what until now, and then in another ask, you said you didn't mind because you're messy. Maybe you made an exception because he's your bias, not because you're "messy".

After reading your post, I was mulling over this for a looong time because I actually liked to believe there was no malice involved. But if I'm being completely honest with my feelings, I am not okay with what Joong did :( Even if in real life, Joong and Dunk are just co-workers and Joong hated Dunk secretly or whatever (which happens I guess, I'm not going to complain about personal feelings behind the scenes), but I just can't be supportive of liking a hate post... esp. in this day of socmed, where online hate could lead to people being depressed, driven to suicide, etc. It goes against my morals. Sorry if this comes off too serious, but I just couldn't be okay with it I guess. Do you think I'm too naive to feel this way?

Also Dunk posted something on twitter today and I think it might be related to this incident because of the timing.

https://x.com/dunknatachai/status/1937777546541871472

Do you think there will be fallout? Not immediately because they have a lot of work scheduled already, but after DYTD? I feel like I can't look away even though I want to, if it leads to a messy breakup. And this isn't the first time for me too for my fav ship to sink and last time it happened it made me sad haha :(

Y'all . . .

I understand comadres now because I am so disconnected from this mess because it doesn't seem like it should be this serious. Like at some point, we start to understand King Triton in The Little Mermaid far more than Ariel, and the next thing we know, we are siding with Ursula because really? All this drama over a guy she saw for less than two seconds? Youths!

So regardless of the Anons' ages in my inbox, the issue between Juan and Diego, to me, feels like a problem of the young, which shouldn't even be a problem, and doesn't actually feel like a problem IF I'm understanding this right:

There is a hate account for Dunk that made a hate post, and that hate post said -he had a girlfriend-

That's the hate. The hate is that he has a girlfriend. Is this how we are bullying guys in 2025? We are saying they have . . . girlfriends? *in my comadre voice* I have to be missing something (and yes, I know saying a man in a branded pair has a girlfriend is up there with the First Commandment for some of y'all, pero . . . if I could have a time machine and tell the 80s gays this would be happening one day, they would've thought I was crazy)

Then, Joong 'liked' that post. He didn't Pretty Little Liars, Gossip Girl, or Mean Girls this. He wasn't the actual person who created this hate account and started posting all these hate posts anonymously. He just 'liked' this -one- post. That's it. ¿No más? *in my comadre voice* a la chingada . . .

Joong said he 'liked' the post because he is gathering evidence to sue the person who is bullying Dunk by saying Dunk has a girlfriend. *I start looking for cameras because this has to be a prank*

As a comadre, I do not understand how the TeaTalk (TikTok) or the TweetTweet (Twitter) works, but some have chimed in and seem to think what Joong is saying is reasonable. However, I will not pretend to understand anything these two kind souls are writing. This is the knowledge of the youths.

So now, Joong and Dunk are using their socials to do what they do best, which I actually understand since I was alive and active when social media BEGAN. I, too, dabbled in the art of vague posting when I wrote my away message in AOL Messenger and reshuffled by Top 8 in MySpace.

And that's it! That's the drama!

I would really like to apologize to all the comadres and madres who I judged for being dismissive of my issues because, now sitting on this side of life, I understand that those issues were solely issues for the young, and running to them to complain about an adult man's behavior was wild.

Does this partnership make you money? Yes. Then apologize. Don't mess up a paycheck.

Do you really hate each other? Doesn't matter. Apologize. Hate each other after the paycheck is in your hands.

Do you want out of this situation? Apologize now, and plan to leave once the check clears.

God, I feel bad for the managers.

The youths.

[lorata]

ok i was flippant yesterday bc i had been working outside in a heatwave all day and was tired but i'm still stuck on this. i'm not discoursing on the hunger games blog i promise but like. ok. professions are not ontologically evil. that's too easy. it's systems of oppression and the choices made by people in those professions and the ease with which said systems automate those choices.

acab doesn't mean that becoming a peacekeeper (cop) automatically strips every bit of good from you, it doesn't mean that you have now become an Evil Human and are irredeemable, it means you have chosen a profession that has, within the system you exist in, itself chosen to align with systems of oppression and power, and that your actions now feed into those systems no matter how good your intentions might be. hence -- no good cops because the only good ones are dead or burned out trying to 'be different' and left. it's not because becoming a cop you stepped through a doorway and the good inside you was magically burned away in some arcane ritual

people like it to be easy, they want evil to be something inherent and easy to point to but it's not! it's choices, it's always choices. in fiction especially but i hate to tell you it's in real life as well. someone is choosing to do that. they can also choose to stop. history is littered with the stories of people who -- damn the consequences -- chose to stop. like -- sorry i bang on about this constantly but everyone makes choices, and everyone can make ones that cause real, systemic harm, even people who adore their kids or bake pies for orphans or ride motorcycles and have ADHD, even you, even me. especially you, especially me.

which, obviously, is exactly the point with peacekeepers? sloane calls the cops when her stepdad abuses her and they have drinks with him instead. electra's brother and a bunch of kids are killed in a massacre bc they ran in guns blazing to the wrong address and the whole thing gets covered up. petra's PK dad was given the choice of lose his job or abandon his family and chose his job, and then she was injured in the arena and is THIS CLOSE to losing faith, so brutus takes her to all the local PK galas for her PR tours and she gets to feel proud and important and valuable and that reinforces her indoctrination instead. they provide her emotional wellbeing -- still supporting the regime. selene meanwhile dngaf about the rules but she loves her dad and her uncle and looks up to them, so why not follow in their footsteps, meanwhile (as xanify said) the program takes a kid with undiagnosed ADHD, channels all her energy into weapons training and uses her for Evil. they give her belonging -- still supporting the regime. emory's mom was a second-twenty local beat cop in a sleepy quarry town, never told emory any of the tales of when she worked out of district, only said be grateful for your district, so emory learned that peacekeepers are kind and honest and helpful and didn't interrogate that until MUCH later. alec and creed love their mother but when she has an uncanny ability to get the truth out of them joke that she used to be an interrogator -- this is a family joke that the boys don't think about, because it's not real to them at the time. it's real to adora and it's real to the people she tortured and that moment is meant to be a stumble.

joseph, i'm not even going to go there, except i guess to say that showing someone who participates within an oppressive system to be a complex and human person rather than one-dimensional Evil is not advocating for that system OR excusing their actions, it goes back to the choices thing again, trying to remove that little moment of comfort and disconnect that says 'only evil people do this and i am not evil therefore i am absolved of responsibility'

re: two vs the capitol PKs that comes from canon where plutarch says that in the capitol getting sent to the PKs is a punishment for like, debt or minor crimes or whatever, but in two it's an actual industry, so i just assumed that the capitol PKs are shipped off to the ass end of nowhere until their sentence is commuted (like snow in tbosas). they don't have the same training or indoctrination into the system so they'd mostly just be pissed off and bitter and apathetic

(lol my wife also adds: some of the above comparison is the difference between a local cop in rural tennessee and the NYPD -- PKs in the capitol have way more power and privilege and will be far more disconnected from the people than rural ones; someone closer to their community will be far more likely to connect and empathize with the people there, which is also why I have the elite PKs (scouts) rotated so often, so they don't manage to make those connections)

so like. yeah, it is propaganda, the whole district is propaganda, and all of the characters are fed it from the day they're born. but there's also meant to be that layer of interrogation of the concept

on that note i am just an author trying to make a story land and it's not going to land with everyone! if people read it and feel like it's not doing that, if they feel like i'm giving a pass to the PKs because i write about characters who are good people then that's valid!

[renlyslittlerose]

anything with obi-wan taking care of his teenage or older padawan, if you please!

Thanks, anon! I went with the classic 'Someone Gets Sick' trope! Hope you enjoy! 😌

---

Anakin didn’t feel so good.

It had started with a pounding headache early in the morning that didn’t go away even after a cup of tea and meditation. It slipped between his eyes, pulsing between his brows, worse whenever he moved his head or sneezed or dared to speak. Then came the sinus pain followed by an increasing ache in his joints, persistent no matter how he sat or walked. Finally, his throat began to hurt, scratchy and raw, every swallow and attempt at speaking making him wince in pain.

He wasn’t sure where he got it, but wanted to blame one of the kids he was forced to sit with at the dining hall a few days ago. She kept sniffling into her soup and rubbing at her eyes, all the while claiming it was just the pollen in the air that was making her look so gross.

Anakin didn’t believe her at the time, and now he knew why.

He wished he could just spend the day in his bed, wrapped up in the blankets with the blinds closed and the sun put away. But he was two systems away from the Temple and instead on some small planet in the mid-rim, helping his Master secure a peace deal between two warring communities that had finally decided to bury the blade beneath the blood soaked ground. They had demanded an impartial mediator - a Jedi - who could see to the proceedings, and of course the Council picked Master Kenobi.

Anakin had been excited for the mission. Not only would he get a chance to get away from the constraints of life at the Temple, but he’d have another chance to prove himself to Master Kenobi. He knew he wasn’t the best student. He chaffed beneath the restrictions placed upon him, buckled under the weight of his destiny, said and did things that were unbecoming of a Jedi. He wasn’t as deferent as he should have been, wasn’t as careful as he could have been, and somehow always managed to say the wrong things despite his best efforts.

But he wanted to show to Obi-Wan that he was a good Padawan, despite his many, many mess-ups over the years. He just needed for everything to fall in place, and he thought maybe this would be the mission where everything went well. He wouldn't talk back, Obi-Wan wouldn’t get annoyed or frustrated, and their mission would be a complete success. But then he got sick.

Force-touched his ass - more like cursed by the Force for his mere existence.

But he was determined to make it through. It was just a minor illness; nothing a Jedi in training couldn’t handle. He’d just swallow as little as possible, never speak, and hope that the room stopped spinning.

“Anakin?”

Looking up from the swirling tile floor, Anakin blinked back the wave of nausea that sloshed through him. Obi-Wan was peering at Anakin with some concern from across the courtyard, while the politician next to him paused her idle chatter to assess the situation.

“Yes, Master?” he asked, purposefully lowering his voice in an attempt to make it hurt a little less.

“Are you alright?” Obi-Wan asked. He took a step forward, as if to touch Anakin’s brow, but Anakin stepped back.

“I’m alright,” Anakin said quickly, despite how it hurt. The room continued to swim, and for a second Anakin felt totally disconnected from his body - as if his consciousness was levitating outside of his skeleton. “I just… I just didn’t sleep well.”

He attempted a smile. No one smiled back.

“Anakin, if you’re feeling—”

“I’m fine, Master.”

Don’t send me away. Please don’t send me away. I can do this. I can be a proper Padawan and see to my duties no matter the struggle.

Obi-Wan’s brows furrowed further, and this time he moved before Anakin could even think to step away. His grip was firm around his wrist, and Anakin bit back another wave of nausea as it roiled up and collided with his fear.

“Anakin, your heart is beating rapidly,” Obi-Wan said. With his other hand he pressed it against Anakin’s brow, a soft ‘tsk’ slipping past his lips that Anakin could barely hear over the sound of his heartbeat. “You’re running a fever. How long have you been feeling this way?”

Anakin was about to answer, but then the room suddenly went very dark.

XXX

He was woken by the sound of something beeping in the distance. It was steady and continuous - soothing almost, in its dedication to maintaining a certain rhythm. Beneath him he could feel sheets and soft bedding, and around him he could smell the unmistakable scent of disinfectant. He didn’t have to open his eyes to know he was in a sickbay of some sort, or maybe a hospital. He hoped for the sickbay on the ship - it was less embarrassing that way.

Shifting slightly, he was surprised to find his head didn’t feel like it was about to fall off, and when he swallowed, it ached only a little. Taking in a deep breath, he opened his eyes and took in the ceiling above.

It was the sickbay. Small favours there.

Rolling on to his side, Anakin’s eyes adjusted to the low light of the room. Next to him was a monitor that tracked his heartbeat, creating the steady beat that he’d found soothing moments ago.. On the small bedside table, Anakin saw a variety of opened bacta tubes that had long since been emptied, along with now-cold bone broth and various pill bottles.

Gaze wandering further, he took in the rest of the room before his eyes landed on Obi-Wan.

He was sitting on a chair in the corner of the room, a datapad open on his lap that he was reading through. His long hair had fallen out of its normal hold, a lock of it hanging in front of his eyes that Anakin knew he’d been struggling to keep tucked away. His brows were furrowed, his focus locked on the datapad, but when Anakin tugged at their bond he immediately looked up.

“Anakin,” he said in a rush. Standing, he dropped the datapad on the chair before he approached Anakin. Sitting on the edge of Anakin’s bed, his hand hovered above Anakin’s own for a moment, before he dropped it back down to his lap and squeezed it into a fist. “How are you feeling?”

Better, Anakin should have said, but instead he replied with: “I’m sorry.”

Obi-Wan’s expression softened. “Sorry for what?”

“For failing as your Padawan. I know how important this mission was to you - how much you wanted to see the war come to an end. And I messed it all up.”

“Oh, Anakin…” This time Obi-Wan did reach out to him, fingertips gentle across his brow and down the side of his face. It was brief. So brief Anakin thought he had made it up. He longed for more of it; of Obi-Wan’s touch, his concern, his affection. Kriff, how he missed his mum. “You didn’t ruin the mission. I dare say we weren’t really needed after all. They’d already agreed to the terms of their ceasefire. They merely wanted us there as a symbolic gesture.”

Obi-Wan’s words didn’t make it any better. Anakin didn’t care about the mission’s objective and if it was a success or not - he’d still failed Obi-Wan.

“I made a scene,” he said.

Obi-Wan shrugged. “Did I ever tell you about the time I threw up on Master Qui-Gon’s lap when I was fifteen?”

Despite himself, Anakin smiled. “No.”

“Well, remind me to regale you with the tale when you’re better. I don’t want to uh, inspire anything in you.”

“Okay.”

A moment passed with Obi-Wan’s gaze sitting heavy on Anakin, before he spoke again. “Anakin… you need to let me know when you’re feeling unwell. I need you to trust me with these things.”

Tears welled up despite himself, and he brushed them away with the heel of his hand. “I didn’t want to be an inconvenience.”

“Anakin…” Obi-Wan took his hand in his own, making it impossible for Anakin to hide his shame. Locking eyes, Obi-Wan kept Anakin focused on him. His touch was firm, his gaze intense. “You are my Padawan, Anakin. Your health, your happiness, your successes and your failures are as much mine as they are yours.” He squeezed Anakin’s hand until it almost hurt. “You are never an inconvenience - not now, not ever. You understand?”

Anakin nodded. “Yes, Master.”

“Trust me to take care of you…”

“Yes, Master.”

“And I’ll trust you to do the same, alright?”

He nodded again. The tears were flowing freely then, and as soon as Obi-Wan let go of his hand he brushed it over his cheeks, trying to wipe away his tears. Standing, Obi-Wan sent Anakin a smile that made Anakin’s heart monitor beep irregularly for a moment.

“This galaxy is lonely enough as it is, Anakin,” Obi-Wan said. “Lets not overburden ourselves by trying to shoulder it alone.”

[biancasaidstfu]

I'm here for the Emmy theory and I think part of it makes sense.

What I can't see working is the end of their adjacents part or anything to do with them.

Walk with me.

Emmy nominated on screen couples tend to show how great their chemistry is on the carpet or in interviews when they do their rounds of lobbying for the win after nomination. This is separate from the normal press promo they do for the release of the shows. Take for instance JB and Matt Boomer for Fellow Travellers. JB has chemistry with anything and anyone but he and Matt really did well, there's still a small fandom that ships them even though Matt has a partner. I genuinely think Matt and JB have a great friendship but they really did a lot to play up the PR part for the show (their friendship still remained though so no threat there). I also liked that they were able to get people interested in a love story that is different and dynamic. So I get that in relation to Luke and Nicola, like playing an on screen romantic couple you'll have to sell it like that as an on screen couple. Luke and Nicola, just like JB and Matt have a beautiful friendship on and off screen. We've been lucky to see snippets of that relationship between them.

This is the part of the theory (explained below) that is the disconnect for me.

They are reported to be with other people while they already acted as an on screen couple with major chemistry. There seems to be a push for a timeline change reported between Luke and Antonia to meeting in 2024 instead of 2023 and Nicola and Jake already reported as 2024. So if they are pushing to have these "couples" allegedly meeting and getting together after the release of the show, then why still have the timelines sort of coincide with the promo for the show when they appeared to be on and off screen couple? If the idea is to look like a non-couple then the PR for their relationships does not connect with the Emmy theory to some point.

They wouldn't have done all of this PR especially as Emmy consideration may not be a nomination nor a win. Bridgerton has been nominated before but it isn't a show that is favored to win or be considered in the categories submitted for nominations. Even now with season 3 being the most successful, it's nice for them to be nominated, I'd like it if they are and will celebrate too. But hearing how Nicola and Luke speak during the award season I don't think they expect to be nominated or win.

I don't think they are linking anything with the relationships to Emmys. If that were the case they would have continued to remain vague. They also wouldn't have spent time and resources "launching" them at other awards or other events for over a year, just to get an Emmy consideration. I don't think all the shenanigans and hate was worth that. So how it looks on the outside basically is this couple is really great as actors, they have their partners but they are great with each other on the show and have insane chemistry.

If the PR changed along the way I don't think the Emmys was part of the strategy. If it were sorry to say it this way, Luke and his team are doing a damn shitty ass job of that and nobody would spend money to kiss their possible Emmy consideration and nomination goodbye. Also the GA who looks a these awards shows still don't fully know the whole story so it won't really impact them as much as it impacts the fandom. They know parts of it but don't dig deep like fans do.

With that I don't think whatever PR is going on will end after Emmys. If they are nominated I also don't think the focus will be the off screen chemistry. Those questions stopped before BAFTAs. So it's really just them using whatever their relationships are in their PR strategy that I don't think has anything Emmy related.

I will say I think Nicola attending the Emmys last year is sort of foreshadowing this year. Her team getting her that presenter gig was great and if she's nominated this year that would be awesome she's back to sit as a nominaee after being a presenter. Nominations could go either way but looking at the buzz and the competition she's up against we still don't know if she will make it.

I'm not attempting to change anyone's minds. Just adding another way to look at it, we can agree/disagree. I like the theories and think that what we see is reasonable for us to think of the different ways we see it.

All very good points and I do agree that the end of a PR narrative doesn’t necessarily rest on the result of an Emmy nom or not. I do think though that the sides will be over at some point maybe this year (ffs please) but that doesn’t mean you’re going to see an immediate shift.

I actually tend to agree more with the idea that this is going to go into some promo time for bton.

As for award season being the sole reason? I do think it’s more complex than just that bts.

[marriedtoanakinn]

okay so to preface this 1. I am about to talk A LOT and probably ramble without editing because.. I kinda just want to word vomit and get my thoughts out into the air and 2. I AM ENCOURAGING COMMENTS and feedback and none of this is inherently negative or overly criticizing.. what I mean by this is, I’m not attacking anyone or saying that arcane is bad or these characters are bad, I’m looking at the story and the writing from a broader standpoint (at least I hope) and I’m not a hardass who’s gonna be a dick, this is genuinely just such an anomaly to me… I digress,

what dafurk is going on with season 2 of arcane???? like.. first and foremost I’m apologizing to any caitvi truthers out there but I really *really* hate caitvi in s2. (EDIT: this sounds overly harsh, their relationship is not what I hate full disclosure I thought they were super cute in s1 and was hoping for development in s2 but I thought it was handled oddly on both fronts!!) vi’s character is actually obliterated in.. listless ways, but first and foremost what I see lies at the root of everything I find wrong(??) with vi’s character is, unfortunately, cait, or revolves around her

1. vi became an enforcer.. what

I’m sure many, many people have addressed this before, but like.. what? there is little to no justification for her choosing to agree with vi and just join the police force !! yes ^_^ she so outright refuses and literally like.. throws the badge on the floor because she thinks it’s ridiculous— cait herself thinks it’s ridiculous— and then… turns around and teams up. I hardly even know how to formulate my own thoughts on this but like, initially, she was in Stillwater for 7 years.. put there BY ENFORCERS, and even expresses how privileged Piltovians and power are to just wave their hand and have people be dragged off without giving a shit what happens to them and how it completely alters their lives and character. enforcers are arguably the heart of what makes Piltover Piltover, at least in the show and to zaunites, and she should have no interest on that fact alone that it is their fault she spent a huge portion of her life locked up and basically matured in a prison.

aside from that one obvious plot point, another is vi’s parents were murdered by enforcers. I note this second because I *guess* it’s arguable that this can be put on the side because she was a child I GUESS?? And like, she didn’t have a solid concept of what enforcers stood for and looked at them more holistically but also.. THEY KILLED HER PARENTS?? IM DEAD AS HELL. uhm. Yeah that’s all I have to say there?? like yes let’s join the team that was responsible for my lack of parents for almost the entirety of my life and robbed my baby sister of the chance to even know them long enough for the little time I even did..!

also, why does vi give a single fuck about what enforcers stand for? the whole point of enforcers is, like law enforcement, to protect Piltover and its citizens and what it stands for blah blah blah, like.. girl not only were u were in prison for seven years and were severely disconnected from the world, but they’ve also spent ur entire life and years before u torturing the your people and are constantly contributing towards biased and prejudiced opinions/actions against. yeah, you can argue that she wants to protect caitlyn but is that really enough of a reason?? she doesn’t need to be on their team to assist her first of all, second of all, I think there’s a pretty clear line between protecting and helping caitlyn and.. yk, backing the fucking enforcers

and don’t even get me wrong, I love the fact that caitlyn shows vi a different side of enforcers and demonstrates that not all of them are the same and there is hope for progress because cait believes in change for the better— but cait in s2… erm.. engaging in chemical warfare.. committing war crimes.. willing to endanger literal children directly and indirectly… and innocents in general.. yeah I’m honestly just gonna leave that there, which leaves the basis of vi’s possible enforcer support completely spineless since cait just goes batshit

so, in my opinion at least, the idea alone of vi joining the enforcers is laughable— the act of her doing so is very unbelievable to me and felt inconsistent to her character

and sort of a branch off

2. vi’s character.. going nowhere (exaggeration)

maybe I’ve just been thinking about it too much but I really feel like we (arcane) kinda just gave up on vi which was actually so heartbreaking for me because I loved vi so much in the first season and I think that her story as a character was great but now she kind of just feels like she’s there to uh.. be caitlyn’s bitch idk don’t hate me sorry :3

like we really don’t see her grow and I think that the magnitude of the story they were trying to tell is to fault for this. so much of what I really wanted to see from the story (not just vi) was in a timeskip, and what we did see just wasn’t.. satisfying I guess? like the grey sequence and vi’s enforcer montage was a timeskip/music video thing which was mildly confusing and very unfulfilling. and honestly, I get it, season two was covering so much and you can’t do it all.. BUT ALSO WHY DID WE MAKE IT TWO SEASONS tears in my eyes, but we don’t really get to see how she reconciles and copes with being an enforcer since i doubt it was an easy choice (even though it highkey seemed like one…) and it had to be difficult carting people she once called her own off to prison to suffer a similar fate as herself and stomping around in a gas mask while erm gassing likely many innocent zaunites.. but we don’t get to see any of that, we just see the result of her on a united front with the same people who killed her parents and stand for everything she doesn’t as the ultimate betrayal of her sister.. and that’s really it, I mean, the most she does to act out against the enforcers or cait is not letting her harm a literal child! which is funny when you consider she was about to let caitlyn shoot her sister in the head but okay ..

I had more to say about this section but my head is moving a million miles a minute and I have short term memory loss atp.

other than that her emo arc was, yes, hot but also didn’t amount to anything? she proceeds to say she didn’t care that caitlyn was with anyone else when she was crashing out about it for like.. idk six months and we don’t see her really come to terms with the fact that she could lose caitlyn (essentially losing everyone) and process through her trauma so that she won’t rot in the same guilt if she does leave.. which basically implies if caitlyn does leave again we get pitfighter vi again.. yeah..?? it all just felt very anticlimactic and was a throwaway idea of how vi spent passing her time after her and caitlyn parted ways. I also really dislike the idea/implication that it’s caitlyn alone that sent her over the edge and that caitlyn alone is responsible for her breakdown, like I would’ve loved to see in the montage of her getting wasted hallucinations of like.. vander or jinx or any of her family to illustrate that caitlyn was more of a final straw that made her guilt insurmountable rather than just an average wlw situationship crash out (happy pride)

I don’t think we see enough of vi grieving the loss of powder either (again, I acknowledge the time crunch here but this is just from a holistic perspective) it feels like she moves on way too quickly and we see her suffering, like I said, more over caitlyn than the loss of her family, what she’d been fighting for all of s1 and what was her primary motivation and driving force for those years she spent in prison. this is about vi, I know, but both of the sisters reconciliation with each other was just.. not consistent to me and I didn’t understand how they were so chill with each other so quickly and we got that aggression when jinx first visits vi but I didn’t feel the emotion or real depth of.. everything their relationship and lives have amounted or come to

vi feels very stand still this season and I HATE to see it because there was so much and still IS so much to do with her character and I feel it really went to waste here and the only progression she showed was her being like.. ‘powder/my sister is gone,’ and even then it was only really heard and not felt the way I at least personally believe it should’ve been

I feel like I’ve rambled long enough and this became a vi-centric thing but there is plenty more I have to say about this season that isn’t here although I doubt anyone is reading allat… if u are and DO care about my other thoughts I’d love to make a continuation but thank u and kudos for making it this far if u did and I’d love to hear outside thoughts :33

[stillmuseum]

As a Ginny, I can say that the 'yeah, i am' comes from a place of not being able to emotionally rely on Maxine. Ginny feels detached because she is. She has had to in order to main a friendship all this time.

Maxine can be an emotionally neglectful friend. She tries, but she has limitations (as illustrated most clearly in season 3). Maxine worries about Ginny a lot in season 3 but I found myself yelling 'Then talk to her' all season long.

Maxine can often let her pettiness and selfishness rule. It's no coincidence that the friends who feel the most disconnected from Maxine (Ginny & Abby) are the ones who need the most emotional support. I think back to the Halloween episode in season 1 where Abby wanted to be red-catsuit Britney and Maxine insisted she have that look for herself, only for it to be one of multiple costume changes that night. That over many years is how resentment is built.

Also... it just occurred to me... there are real possibility that Maxine is particularly triggering of Ginny's trauma with Georgia, who also has a lot of of love to give but is also very selfish... I'd have to think about this a bit more to elaborate.

Yall Ginny's "yeah I am" is wild to me. Like?!?!?!!? WHAT?!?!!? What is that?!?!!?

[ducktracy]

this is gonna sound so funny from The Pig and Duck Person BUT i just want to again thank you all and tell you how much the support has meant for my shilling of this film/countless pig and duck posting, i get very stuck inside my head and feel like i have to tamp down on my posting and "if i post too much about the pig and duck something catastrophic will happen" (hyperbole. but i live by a very neurotic set of self appointed rules, even for as freeform and enthusiastic as i am) and my neuroses about these characters is. WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYY more deep than i let on on here. some of you know this. wink wink nudge nudge. BUT ANYWAY, i was very worried i would be seen as obnoxious and like a corporate shill or just someone tirelessly posting about the same exact thing SO YOUR SUPPORT MEANS A LOT!! it's a good reminder that i need to CHILLLL OUT. Tumblr is sort of my more relaxed online space to begin with, but i never realized how much i was still sort of repressing/masking/"I Am Normal"-ing myself until letting myself be adamant about the pig and duck since the situation calls for it. SO THANK YOU. thank you for not biting my head off 🙏 i've been very very very excited and happy to hear about everyone supporting this film and sparking a chain reaction (and i will catch up on DMs and replies!! i swear! i've kind of been in a pig and duck PR whirlwind the past few days.. moreso than usual) so just THANK YOU AGAIN. maybe this is silly to make a post about since everyone knows i'm the pig and duck person but my brain can be a treacherous sneak (read this in Daffy's voice. i don't think he's ever said it but it just popped into my head in his voice and i am obligated to put it here) so i'm genuinely very grateful

[stuck-in-jelly]

[willyhoos]

you know for someone who loves metamy so much. i gotta say having it be fully unrequited is honestly fitting with metal's whole arc (or rather his LACK of arc)

he wants what he can't have. he's not anything or anyone, he doesn't deserve it. what would he even do with it?

"i don't think i have anything. i don't think i can have anything. i don't know how to have something." (src: 17776)

whether or not you subscribe to the roboticized metal theory, it doesn't change that metal's goals are not aligned with reality. ironically it's the robot that is unable to logically analyze his situation. he wants to be sonic but it doesn't change the fact that he isn't. he wants to win but it doesn't change the fact that he won't. his desires are narratively and morally unfulfillable because what he wants is wrong (factually and ethically.)

and so if he, in theory, wanted amy rose how could he ever actually have her?

the most she would give him is "you're more like him than i thought."

because he's Not sonic. all he can be is sufficiently Like him (sometimes). whatever metal claims he is (and honestly whatever he ACTUALLY is) is irrelevant because he can't MAKE himself sonic. he can't make himself the version of sonic that amy loves. amy loves sonic for WHAT he is (good) not what he's named. the most she could ever do is passively appreciate the traits of sonic that metal is able to imitate. emulate. simulate. fabricate.

sonic's role (in the meta story and in-universe) is so unique and treasured and irreplaceable. the only way to kick him out would be to, idk, replace him with an identical copy and put the old sonic in a lose-lose situation where he could not possibly be believed or sympathized with. or something.

say he gets "rehabilitated," rebels against eggman... you know those metamy fics. what is he then?

-> another job well done. another good deed for team sonic (y'know, the real one).

because it's not just that he's Not Sonic. (and he isn't. even if you believe he once was, he's not anymore in any way that is relevant to the narrative. the narrative, as you know, is the real sonic's pov.) it's that he's not even really a person anymore.

he's been forcibly depersonalized, dethroned, removed from his role (+ promptly replaced with something canonically better!) and isolated from any semblance of humanization. he doesn't even have a mouth. either it was taken from him or he was never given one. and we are not given any glimpse into his thoughts. (they're not important.)

like. this is a dead end. he is a dead end. there's nowhere to run.

he won't "get the girl" (pardon the term) not because he's evil not because he's not sonic but because he is not a "person" in any sense. not literally not socially not narratively not practically not really

idk. whether metal falls in love with amy genuinely, or if it's just out of jealousy/desire to want what the real sonic has/instinct to emulate the real sonic's emotions... it's doomed. he's just a ghost from a doomed timeline and everything he will ever do is destined to fail. he can't kill sonic. he can't hold amy's hand. he can't do anything but lose.

in that sense, metal "losing" amy to the real sonic (as if metal was ever even a contender, as if he was ever real enough) is just another failure in a long, long string of mostly unpleasant memories of a character who doesn't even get to go by his real name. because someone more important took it already has it.

[teeth-cable]

I don't know how to feel about Viv not mentioning historical events in Hazbin.

On one hand, I can respect that she probably had the foresight to realize she isn't responsible enough to write those topics, but on the other hand, it feels off.

Beside still referencing time periods through the character designs (Vox's retro TV head and Val's 70s pimp uniform) and Helluva Boss referencing modern pop culture memes, there's the fact that the majority of HH cast are POC characters who lived during the 20th century.

It's strange not to mentioned what those community went though during those times, seeing how those events were big historical moments that changed and shaped many POC communities forever. Ex: Niffty would realistically grown up in an incarceration camp during her teen years, or how the Harlem Renaissance would have helped Alastor as it did for many black entrepreneurs at the time, etc.

It feels like an erasure of history, as well as, the characters' identities. It's just weird not to even acknowledge what struggles or victories these POC characters would have goes through for a show trying to be "serious" and "deep".

Also, HB explores (albeit badly) themes of racism, discrimination, classism, cultural taboos of interracial relationships, inequity, prosecutorial misconduct, and other systemic and social issues that people of color faced and fought against or for during the 20th century. If Viv felt comfortable enough to explore these themes in HB, I don't know why they couldn't be explored in HH too, especially since they're more applicable in HH than HB.

[unforgivingchorus]

I’ve been deconstructing my ideas of Tim to separate fanon from canon for the purpose of my solo run idea. What do you mean Batman calling him Jason was a canon event. I understand fanon has a basis in canon but I thought that was a development of fanon maybe. Eye is twitching I’m bringing back all of my deconstructed emotional disconnected mentor Batman thoughts

[avnasace]

considering they brought tommy back for the flashback as well as the funeral, it was honestly suprising that athena didnt go to him about the case, because the one person other than bobby who could have seen whether the baby was in the crib, or even just elaborate on what had happened, was tommy...